The efficiency of the magnetic acceleration in relativistic jets
arXiv:astro-ph/0401105 · doi:10.1023/B:ASTR.0000044653.77654.fb
Abstract
Using steady, axisymmetric, ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) we analyze relativistic outflows by means of examining the momentum equation along the flow and in the transfield direction. We argue that the asymptotic Lorentz factor is ~ mu-sigma_M, and the asymptotic value of the Poynting-to-matter energy flux ratio - the so-called sigma function - is given by sigma/(1+sigma) \~ sigma_M / mu, where sigma_M is the Michel's magnetization parameter and mu c^2 the total energy-to-mass flux ratio. We discuss how these values depend on the conditions near the origin of the flow. By employing self-similar solutions we verify the above result, and show that a Poynting-dominated flow near the source reaches equipartition between Poynting and matter energy fluxes, or even becomes matter-dominated, depending on the value of sigma_M / mu.
arXiv comment8 pages, 1 figure, to appear in ``Virtual Astrophysical Jets'', Ap&SS, 2004
References in corpus (8)
- The Axisymmetric Pulsar Magnetosphere
- Magnetic Driving of Relativistic Outflows in Active Galactic Nuclei. I. Interpretation of Parsec-Scale Accelerations
- Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics with Application to Gamma-Ray Burst Outflows: I. Theory and Semianalytic Trans-Alfvenic Solutions
- Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics with Application to Gamma-Ray Burst Outflows: II. Semianalytic Super-Alfvenic Solutions
- Ideal MHD solution to the problem in Crab-like pulsar winds and general asymptotic analysis of magnetized outflows
- Acceleration and collimation of relativistic plasmas ejected by fast rotators
- Relativistic Acceleration of Magnetically Driven Jets
- Magnetically driven superluminal motion from rotating black holes
Cited by in corpus (8)
- Magnetic acceleration of ultra-relativistic jets in gamma-ray burst sources
- Magnetar-energized supernova explosions and GRB-jets
- A two-zone model for blazar emission: implications for TXS 0506+056 and the neutrino event IceCube-170922A
- Rotation and toroidal magnetic field effects on the stability of two-component jets
- 3D RMHD simulations of jet-wind interactions in High Mass X-ray Binaries
- Time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic self-similar extragalactic jets
- Toy model for the acceleration of blazar jets
- Identifying changing jets through their radio variability